


Darkblooms and Cactus-flowers

by Poetry



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Courtship, Cultural Differences, F/F, Fluff, Lesbian Rey, Mentor/Protégé
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-25
Updated: 2016-01-25
Packaged: 2018-05-16 06:14:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5817268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Poetry/pseuds/Poetry
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rey doesn't know how to properly court a lady of the Resistance. Leia (sort of) helps.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Darkblooms and Cactus-flowers

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LemonScience33](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LemonScience33/gifts).



“When are your festival times?” Rey asks the General casually, as they stand together looking at a map of the Resistance forces. There's no one else in the tactical room. “Did I miss any while I was away?”

“We celebrate Solstice and Equinox,” the General says. (Rey knows what those are, now, after her time with Luke; when you don’t live near a planet’s equator, the day length changes a _lot_ , it turns out.) She smiles lopsidedly. “And there’s Victory Day, coming up. That’s when we celebrate the fall of the Empire.”

The Empire that had given birth to the First Order from its ashes. That made the festival seem a little hollow to Rey, but it would be important to the General, wouldn’t it, for all sorts of reasons. And it was still a festival. Rey considers what would be a proper gift to bring. Cactus-flowers for admiration and darkblooms for a noble warrior would send the right message, but neither of them grew on this planet, and she couldn't settle for _store-bought_. 

“Why do you ask?” the General says, breaking through her thoughts. “Forgive me, but I didn’t have you pegged as the partying type.”

Rey blushes, and hates herself a little for acting like a silly little girl in front of the General. “There’s more to festivals than parties. I _do_ court, you know." Never with any _success_ _,_ but the General didn't need to know that. "I just. Haven’t had a chance. Since there haven’t been any festivals.”

The General watches her for a long moment, then says, “Rey, I don’t know how you do things on Jakku, but here, there doesn’t have to be a festival for you to, uh, court someone. You can do it whenever you want, as long as you’re polite about it.”

Rey blushes even deeper. Of course. It makes sense. People don’t live so far apart, here. They eat and live communally. There are plenty of opportunities to court outside of festival time. She should have realized. “Oh! I’m going about this entirely the wrong way, aren’t I.” She bites her lip. “I’m sorry if… I… General Organa, what’s a proper courtship gift for a Resistance pilot?”

The General hides her mouth behind her hand, but Rey can still see her eyes crinkling in a smile. “Rey,” she says quietly. “Let me give you some free advice, though don’t tell anyone it was from me. You don’t need a courtship gift. Jessika’s definitely interested.”

Rey sighs and throws up her hands. “At least on Jakku I had _some_ secrets.” She turns and starts to leave. Over her shoulder she says, “I’m still getting her a gift! Don’t you dare tell her!”

The General’s laughter follows her down the hall. Traitor. Rey would ask Poe for help instead. At least _he_ would be afraid of her terrible vengeance if he told anybody what she was up to.


End file.
